By Nixiwaka Stirling

One of the most ubiquitous and over-used words in modern times is ‘shaman’. Before we try to unpack the concept and better understand why it seems to be such a relevant and sticky idea, I would like to propose the following distinctions within the terminology: A shaman is a person born into an Indigenous society, who has the gift of communicating with the Spirit world in an altered state, using any array of techniques available to achieve this state. A shaman directs and moves energy to restore harmony within the individual, between the individual and the community, and between the community and the Spirit world.